About this sheet
Buffon Dromedary Camel, Buffalo & Bison Hand-Colored Engraving, c. 1835
Original antique hand-colored engraving titled “Le Dromadaire – Le Buffle – Le Bison,” depicting three impressive large mammals: a single-humped dromedary camel, a buffalo and an American bison.
The dromedary is shown against an evocative Middle Eastern or North African landscape with domed architecture and palm trees, while the buffalo and bison are represented in natural settings below. The fine engraving and delicate original coloring give the animals considerable detail and character.
Published in Paris in a 19th-century edition of the Histoire Naturelle associated with Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (1707–1788), one of the most influential naturalists of the Enlightenment. Buffon’s monumental Histoire Naturelle transformed European understanding of zoology and remained so influential that revised and illustrated editions continued to appear long after his death.
The plate is headed “Mammifères,” numbered Pl. 35 and credits Vauthier as draughtsman, with Couché fils directing the engraving.
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Vauthier, illustrator
Couché fils, engraver/director
Paris, c. 1830s
Plate 35
Original hand-colored engraving
This is an original antique print from the 1830s, not a modern reproduction.
Condition:
Good antique condition with age-related toning, light foxing, spotting and minor marks and wear, consistent with age. The hand coloring remains attractive and the engraved images are well preserved. Please study the photographs carefully as they form part of the condition description.
Period:
Early 19th Century
Style:
Neoclassical
Medium:
Hand-colored engraving on paper
Keywords:
Buffon, Comte de Buffon, Georges-Louis Leclerc, Histoire Naturelle, dromedary, dromedary camel, camel, Le Dromadaire, buffalo, Le Buffle, American bison, bison, Le Bison, mammal engraving, animal engraving, antique animal print, natural history print, zoological engraving, hand colored engraving, French engraving, French natural history, Vauthier, Couché fils, 1830s, 19th century, Neoclassical, antique print, wildlife art, scientific illustration
